Director: Chad Stahelski
Writers: Michael Finch, Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Takeda, Clancy Brown, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane, Mark Zaror, Natalie Turner, Amy Gain, Brahim Chab, George Georgiou
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Country: United States
Language: English, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, German, Latin, French
Release Date: March 13, 2023 (South by Southwest Film Festival), March 24, 2023 (United States)
Runtime: 169 minutes
Also Known As: John Wick 4 (Hong Kong), Defender Mission 4 (Taiwan), Speed Showdown, Speed Counterattack
IMDb: tt10366206
The John Wick series is known for its unique and stylized action and violence. The filmmakers incorporate elements of ballet, martial arts, and acrobatics into the fight choreography, resulting in visually stunning and complex action sequences. This sets it apart from other action/crime/thriller films, which tend to rely on more traditional methods for filming fight scenes. Additionally, the series has a distinct visual style with its use of neon lighting and urban landscapes, further adding to its uniqueness, which continues in the fourth installment, John Wick: Chapter 4.
Keanu Reeves portrays the titular character as a resilient and deadly assassin, becoming an iconic figure in the world of hitman films. We see John Wick working under the authorization of the secret committee of assassins known as the "High Table," as he tries to stay alive and seek revenge against those who wronged him, adding an intriguing layer of conspiracy to the story.
Old friends help and hide him. The head of the secret intelligence network, the Bowery King (played by Laurence Fishburne), gives him clues. The owner of the Continental Hotel in New York (played by Ian McShane) and the concierge (played by Lance Reddick) protect him, providing a safe haven for assassins.
John Wick seeks refuge in the Continental Hotel in Osaka, where his old friend Ishii (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) helps him. However, Ishii's daughter (played by Rina Takeda) disagrees with letting Wick stay. Even Wick's friend Cain (played by Donnie Yen) is hunting him. Cain says, "You will die." Wick replies, "Maybe not." Cain's betrayal is coerced by the relentless and evil emissary of the High Table, the Adjudicator (played by Bill Skarsgård). The Adjudicator has been increasing the bounty on Wick, from $18 million to $40 million. He will kill anyone who stands in his way.
Within seconds of entering the film, someone is killed. The first few minutes of the film cleverly choreograph fight scenes that foreshadow what is to come. The script adds more complexity to the already intricate situation. Murder after murder, bullets flying non-stop. The fights continue until someone dies.
Usually, this ongoing brutality would become unbearable and repulsive. However, the visual effects of John Wick are so intoxicating that these action scenes are incredibly stunning. The exaggerated scenes of falls, punches, kicks, rolls, and brawls leave the audience sitting in awe, both tense and laughing. Their expectations for this series are high, and this installment presents it in the most imaginative way.
The film's settings span from New York and Jordan to Japan, Berlin, and Paris, among others. This wide geographical range of locations is on par with the international backgrounds of the Mission: Impossible and James Bond series. The global atmosphere should attract audiences from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and especially the Asian market, where Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada are both superstars.
In a discotheque the size of an airplane hangar in Berlin, the audience suddenly erupts into a gunfight and melee amidst the revelry. The overhead shots of Wick fighting enemies within a building are particularly striking. Car chases, explosive gunfights, and accidents on the streets around the Arc de Triomphe are all breathtaking. But the truly stunning climax occurs in a massacre on over 200 steps leading to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. It is a breathtaking moment, the most captivating scene where the director, cinematography, stunts, and performances reach their peak.
The emotional struggles between characters are profound and rich. Just when the betrayals between friends and colleagues seem to become the center of the story, the script takes an unexpected turn. A duel is proposed, with strict rules: "Failure to appear at sunrise will result in execution." This plot ties all the chaos together and introduces additional motivation, reigniting the audience's interest.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is a meticulously choreographed and beautifully crafted massacre feast, a grand spectacle filled with blood, where a group of assassins fight to the death in the most elegantly violent manner.